1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to assessment testing, and more particularly, to a psychometric assessment testing method for accurate and expedient measurement of the combined cognitive and motor ability to follow instructions.
2. Description of the Background
There are many assessment testing methods which try to provide an objective measure of mental ability independent of ethnic bias. These methods include simple pen and pencil psychometric (xe2x80x9cIQxe2x80x9d) tests (for example, the Stanford Binet and Wechsler). However, these standardized tests have come under increasing criticism because of their inherent biases. Specifically, these tests favor prior learning of: procedural strategies (such as the use of math tables enabling faster solutions, or how to approach other problems), and language (e.g., alphabet, vocabulary, colloquialisms). Over the past 20-30 years cognitive science has developed the theory that cognitive ability is based on the brain""s information processing speed. This is due to studies that reveal high correlations between chronometric (reaction speed) cognitive tests such as Wonderlic, Ravens and WAIS, and brain-speed, as measured via neural conduction velocity (optic-nerve transmission speed). Thus, current thinking is that basic intelligence can be measured by assessing the elementary cognitive processes (ECPs) that are involved in every stage of cognition from perception through decision-making to reaction. ECPs are comprised of the following components: the perceptual registration (xe2x80x9capprehensionxe2x80x9d) of the stimuli (bits of information); the identification (xe2x80x9cdiscriminationxe2x80x9d) of the information; the xe2x80x9cselectionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cencodingxe2x80x9d of the information, and the appropriate reaction, be it: physical (sensory-motor), i.e., xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d reaction-time (RT), or; cognitive, ie, xe2x80x9cchoicexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cdiscriminationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdecisionxe2x80x9d RTs. Cognitive reactions involve the additional ECPs of xe2x80x9crehearsalxe2x80x9d and further xe2x80x9cencodingxe2x80x9d of appropriately selected information while memory files are accessed, followed by the xe2x80x9ctransformationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmanipulationxe2x80x9d of retrieved information for the purposes of making the appropriate choice, discrimination or decision response. Any test that challenges and quantifies elementary cognitive processes is referred to as an elementary cognitive task (ECT). A decision RT test requires the access of short term memory and/or long term memory (LTM) in order to render the correct xe2x80x9csplit-secondxe2x80x9d decision. For example, the stimulus may pair a word with a picture. The Rule might be, xe2x80x9cIf the word and picture are the same, press the right arrow key, otherwise press the left.xe2x80x9d The ideal mental ability test would exercise and quantify as many ECPs as possible. Indeed, test methods are evolving in this direction. However, most if not all are experimental rather than application oriented. In order to adapt the research to mass population measurement the following are (minimally) needed: (1) a comprehensive test approach that exercises most, if not all, of the known elementary cognitive processes, components and mechanisms of cognition, including: perceptual awareness, brain processing speed, cognitive processing (choice and decision) speeds, working memory capacity, and speed of long term memory (LTM) access (from episodic, semantic and/or symbolic divisions of LTM), and the subsequent speed and efficiency of working memory""s organization of relevant data to make a correct choice or decision; and (2) a test approach as described above that can be administered and graded economically and expediently.
There remains a real and timely need for a practical way to assess the elementary cognitive processes underlying xe2x80x9cintelligencexe2x80x9d for purposes of screening and placement, and yet a fair way which is not influenced by culture or genetic history. An assessment approach capable of quantifying cognitive components as described above would be helpful in aiding educators and employers to better qualify and place individuals.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a psychometric assessment testing method for accurate and expedient measurement of the combined cognitive and motor ability to follow instructions.
It is another object to provide an assessment testing method that is well-adapted to mass population testing due to its stunning simplicity (in terms of time investment and overhead).
It is another object to provide a comprehensive test approach that exercises most, if not all, of the known elementary cognitive processes, components and mechanisms of cognition, including; perceptual awareness, brain processing speed, cognitive processing (choice and decision) speeds, working memory capacity, and speed of long term memory (LTM) access (from episodic, semantic and/or symbolic divisions of LTM), and the subsequent speed and efficiency of working memory""s organization of relevant data to make a correct choice or decision.
It is another object to provide an assessment testing method that offers a practical yet fair way to assess the elementary cognitive processes underlying xe2x80x9cintelligencexe2x80x9d, and yet which is not influenced by culture or genetic history.
It is still another object to provide a robust and easily managed assessment testing approach capable of aiding educators and employers to better qualify and place individuals.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, which is a method for psychometric assessment testing of both cognitive and motor ability to assimilate and follow instructions. The assessment method generally tasks a subject to assemble a subset of interfitting parts from a collection of parts in a specific manner as defined by an instruction set presented to the subject, and with the help of specific reference cues. More specifically, the assessment method accomplishes the above under a framework of three general provisions. The first is an orientation phase by which a subject is presented with a minimal instruction set including a combination of oral and written cues delivered in a particular manner according to script. The subject is also presented with reference cues that will serve as tools to help in accomplishing the task at hand. The minimalist content and sparse manner of delivering the instructions exercises the subject""s ability to assimilate instructions on his or her own, as well as assimilating the apparent reference cues that he or she might need, thereby allowing full assessment of autonomy and self-orientation. The assessment method then elicits a second phase of strategy development by requiring the subject to map an approach to the problem using the assimilated instructions and appropriate reference cues at hand. A third phase is execution by which the subject applies the assimilated instructions and uses the assimilated reference cues to assemble the interfitting parts. However, the assessment framework provides a number of potential pitfalls that the subject must try to navigate. The potential pitfalls are cognitive hurdles that the subject must overcome. For example, the components use an overlapping numbering scheme that requires close attention to detail, the components are illustrated in reference cues but are not drawn to scale, thereby compelling use of a ruler for proper identification, etc. Each potential pitfall exercises an elementary cognitive task (ECT) and requires the access of short term memory and/or long term memory (LTM) in order to render the correct xe2x80x9csplit-secondxe2x80x9d decision, thereby testing both cognitive ability and dexterity as the subject manipulates the physical parts. Finally, the framework includes a closure phase which requires the subject to decide whether he or she has finished correctly or not, thereby allowing assessment of confidence in the result.